Everybody forgets that AC/DC headlined this concert, because they played at night, when you couldn’t see the size of the crowd. The Pantera and Metallica sets have become the stuff of legend because they’re performed in the daylight while the crowd is full of energy.
The truth of the concert is as follows, the Red Army had to do the security as they were the only ones allowed to police large crowds regardless of the circumstances. The crowd was approx 250,000 no more. There was no other drama, the show went as planned and all was good. The tower you see at the beginning of the video is the sound booth and where the lighting and sound was controlled from NOT the main stage. The main stage is at one the end of the area that’s cordoned for the show. The reason you here there was more is just the rumour mills from the Russian media not actual fact.
This is 1991. The Soviet Union (the soldiers you see) is breaking apart. Those 1.5 million kids you see would have been arrested a year earlier for having any rock music. This is a Soviet airfield, and those soldiers who are security used to be able to arrest or torture at will. Hence, this show meant that freedom was at hand, and nobody could stop groups like Metallica and Pantera from performing. This is not concert security, this is the Soviet Army on their last legs...some of them see the winds of change and are enjoying themselves.
James said they were very privileged because they could literally testify the change, as the same soldiers who were beating people in the beginning (because they'd never seen a metal concert and thought it was a riot), just took off their hats and jackets after a few minutes and enjoyed the freedom and the music.
Immediately following the fall of the wall... an entire generation that’s never known anything other than the Soviet Union.. in the largest rock and roll event the world has ever seen
I was a 16yo boy in the soviet bloc at that time, it was a historic moment. There's no other drug like freedom. I love watching reactions to this, and how most of the people reacting don't even understand the significance of what they're watching at the moment. :D
Read what I wrote above. You are right tho that many people do not know what this was like for the Russian people. I however am old enough to understand exactly what you mean and the people were happy and free and ready to ROCK !!!
The Wall was broken between East and West. The First Time that Russia had a Rock Concert with an Band from the West, like this. Dancing Russian Police and Soldiers. What a time!
It was1.5 million over the course of the weekend this crowd is estimated at over 400K. The band is still the only group to ever play all 7 contents and did it within a one year period. The feat still stands in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Love seeing you youngins appreciate back in the day heavy metal and loving Metallica. If you've never been to a live heavy metal concert...IT IS INSANE!!! An experience you would never forget.
The soviet army was there for crowd control at the monsters of rock concert in moscow. Metallica was not the only band there. Check out pantera Domination live in moscow plz. The soldiers eventually joined in with the crowd and went wild as well. Lmao
It was September 28, 1991 and the amount of people in attendance was 1.6 million. There were about 4 bands that day AC/DC, Metallica, Pantera and the Black Crowes. The concert was held at the Tushino Airfield. The concert was free. The tour was called The Monsters of Rock
I feel so old, I was a freshman in high school when Metallica released KILL EM ALL!!!!! for those of you who aren't old enough to remember that is the first album!!!!!!!
Having over a million people in one concert just to see their favorite band is awesome and that shows a lot of love and support from the fans. This comes to show when comes to the fanbase of hard rock and heavy metal, our numbers are not to be underestimated, due to the fact that the numbers are *far* greater than you know. Strength in numbers, for we are many. We are one. Keep reacting to these guys. This live show is but a *tip of the iceberg* lol Same with *Anthrax, Slayer* and *Megadeth.* 🤘🔥😎
It was 1.6 million people, it was the Monsters of Rock in Moscow. It was the 1st Western Rock concert after the fall of the wall and communism. It was an epic show. It took me 7 months of applying for special permission just to attend. It was EPIC!
Who remembers Sam Goody and cassette tapes? Black album was the shiz. Sometimes I thing all y'all are playing and then I remember how old I am. Like, before RU-vid, like, when MTV played music videos. I know... cave man times.
Probably the best song from the show in my opinion and Metallica is my favorite band. Kirk is amazing but Dime is on a new level. Haha see what I did there?
Such a pivotal and beautiful performance and yet one of the darkest venues they've played. over 200 concert goers were injured, this was the fall of the Soviet Union and most people these have never heard of the Soviet Union.
FYI, the view of the crowd that you paused on is the view from the stage. That's all in front of the stage. That structure surrounded by people isn't the stage, it's a tower of speakers to make sure the sound makes it to the people in the back. If you look further back, on both sides, there are more. I think maybe 5 to 7 total.
I remember hearing that the crowd was really respectful just knowing that American heavy metal was finally there. Then kids said that some of the army were the ones causing trouble
You see the people in the army jamming out too!! I just turned 30 in October 1991 baby here, thank god to my parents growing up with the 80’s, I absolutely love the 80’s. These are the crowds I want today, no cell phones, just in the moment and having a good ass time. I know people think it’s just a lot of fast and loud music, but the lyrics can be deep too.
This concert was in 1991. There is still people walking home from this event. On the real tho. I was in Cleveland when the Cavaliers had their championship parade. I'm talking wall to wall people estimated 600k. It was just a small portion of what you are seeing at this concert. I'm guessing 4 or 5 times more people from the looks of it.
There are SO many cuts from this show that you should react to. Harvester Of Sorrow is my favorite. According to James Hetfield it was 500K at this show, but 1.6 million that showed up for the whole festival (AC/DC, Metallica, Pantera and more). And yeah.....that was the military providing "security". The show was at an airbase in Moscow. Great vid, you guys!
When freedom came to Moscow via music. These fans finally got the chance to go see this music live. Look how many fans showed up, flags from different countries, the whole time just rockin out. 1.6 million I think was the number of people.....and look at their happy faces because they see and hear Metallica. Gives me chills when I see this.....every time. 🤘🔥😎YES that is the military as security but- you’ll see them rockin out too- Rock n Roll fans are everywhere.❤️
1.6 million was the official figure, but people there said closer to 2 million. This wasn't a Metallica concert alone, it was a music festival that spanned days with several bands performing
Metallica performed in front of 1.6 million people, that's at least how many turned up, maybe more, this concert was called monsters of rock, four bands played including AC/DC.
My brother and I couldn't get tickets one time, we listened outside, whit some others. Seeing them is ofcourse the best, but just hearing them, feeling the vibe...
My first concert in high school was Metallica at Oakland stadium with Queensryche and faith no more opening. We were in the bleachers, but we could see a huge crowd on the field. During one song, The crowd started reaching into the ground and tearing out hunks of dirt and grass and throwing it in the air. It was quite an experience for a first concert.
This was part of the Monsters of Rock Concert Tour and their were 500K FREE tickets passed out but people just kept coming and they stopped counting at 1.6 million, no one knows exactly how many people were there. It's the Russian military providing security. This was right after the Soviet Union had fallen and this concert was the first taste of freedom for these people. The concert was held at an air field.
Reports say they stopped counting at 1.6 million. This was a post cold war celebration. These bands were not allowed in Russia before so as you can see a shit ton of people showed up.
It was a free concert. It was held on a large air field. 500,000 people were the start but people kept coming and at some point they lost count. 1.5 is an estimate after all was said and done. They had to use Russian military for crowd control and eventually had the helicopters flying over to help keep crowd control as well.
This might scare you a little bit the song was originally about crib death and the drummer Lance asked him to change up the lyrics before they released it so that's why it's originally about but it still sounds like that cuz it's talking about a kid basically making it to the point of waking up the next morning without dying and the grim reaper coming to get him they just change it to the sandman
1.6 Million people....and this is only 3rd on the all time list of crowds at an open air concert. #1 is Rod Stewart at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with a crowd of 3.5 Million in 1994. #2 was Jean Michel Jarre in 1997 also in Russia, like that Metallica show, with 3.5 Million.
One of the greatest experiences of my life, I got to sit in on their soundcheck the nite before their concerts here in New Zealand. I was thinking imagine the millions of fans who'd kill to be there it was like a private concert just me and their manager watching.
